Wing bending machine



4, 1970 o. w. GQFF 3,522,122

WING BENIJING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 07/5 1114 90 6&5

Aug. 4, 1970 0. w. GOFF 3,522,722

WING BENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 12, 1966 3 Sheeis-Sheet 2 3 lN-VENTOR. 0275 M4?) BYJQZF W A g 1970 o. w. GOFF WING BENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 12, 1966 & n

I N VEN TOR.

F p w 2 M w% a 2 w W I/ 7 4 w M a United States Patent Oifice 3,522,722 Patented Aug. 4, 1970 3,522,722 WING BENDING MACHINE Otis Ward Golf, Jenison, Mich., assignor to Schiefler Tool and Engineering, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 572,114 Int. Cl. 321d 11/04 US. Cl. 72319 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE A Wing bending machine adaptable to varying dimension forming operations, employing torsional, rotational fluid motors on the pivot axes of the bending wings that straddle and are mounted to members of a support transversely variable in size with shifting of the support members, wings, and motors with respect to each other.

This invention relates to apparatus for forming sheet metal, and more particularly to wing bending machines.

Sheet metal forming machines that bend a pair of spaced parallel flanges into the opposite edge portions of a flat sheet of metal are conventionally known as wing benders. Such machines, conventionally using gear and rack or crank devices for operating the wings that bend the metal, are not versatile, so as to readily accommodate different jobs. These machines have a generally fixed pivot axis for the bending movement. Consequently, when an individual machine is set up for a particular type bending job, after considerable time and effort expended, it is normally earmarked for that job for a substantial period of time. Changing the mechanism to handle another size panel or another bending operation is undertaken only if the next job is of substantial size, to make the tedious and difficult changeover, readjustrnents, and realignments, worthwhile and economically practicable. As a consequence, manufacturers of formed sheet metal products tend to reserve wing benders for only large orders of production runs, and provide conventional forming brake machines for jobs of smaller volume. A brake operator of course determines the location of a bend by the amount of insertion of the sheet into the machine, This mode of operation involves high capital expense for equipment, and necessarily imposes the limitations of brake machines.

Another disadvantage of wing bending machines is that they are not capable of forming a compound multiple flange construction on the sheet metal in a practical fash- 1011.

It is one object of this invention therefore to provide a highly versatile wing bender capable of rapid, simple adaptation to various dimensional wing forcing patterns, to enable wing type flanges to be formed into a sheet of metal at a variety of different dimensional positions, yet without substantial set up variations in the machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel wing bender capable of rapid eflicient bending operation without gear and racks, cranks, or other such mechanism, and wherein the power source for bending the wings is uniquely mounted with respect to the bending mechanism so as to be immediately operable no matter what the position of the bending mechanism, and in fact to be shiftably adjustable simultaneously with and at equal amounts to the adjustment of the bending mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unique wing bender having a movable pivot axis on both sides, capable of being readily shifted to any of several desired positions to accommodate diiferent type bends, and to do so in an economical, practical and relatively rapid fashion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wing bender having a rotational power source directly on the pivot axles of the bending wings and mounted on the same support as the wings, to be movable with the wings for varying the location of the pivot axles with respect to each other.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent upon studying the following specification in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of one end of the novel wing bending machine;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the machine in FIG. 1, taken on plane IIII;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the machine taken from the opposite end to that shown in FIG. 1, in the direction indicated by the numeral III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of the machine, showing the complete wing mechanism on one side of the centerline, and a portion of the like wing mechanism on the opposite side of the centerline;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of one of the rotary fluid power source motors in the apparatus, taken on plane V--V in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a line diagram showing a typical cross section of a sheet of metal having flanges formed on the side edges by the wing bending type machine; and

FIG. 7 is a line diagram of a formed piece of sheet metal having a compound flange structure formable by the novel machine.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the com plete assembly 10 includes a frame type base 12 on which is mounted a bed 14. Secured to the bed is a plurality of parallel spaced transverse guideways 16 extending across the width of the machine and having a pair of elongated shiftable sheet supporting and flange bending platform subassemblies 20 and 20'. Subassembly 20 includes an elongated slide plate 22, having a plurality of spaced guide elements 24 interfitted in guideways 16, a plurality of spaced girder mounts 26 on the slide plate along its length, a planar support member 28, and a bending wing 30 pivotally mounted to element 28 on the outer edge thereof with a pivot axle 32. Subassembly 20 is shown without the end plates of members 28 and 30. Subassembly 20' is shown with the end plates 34 on bending wing 30, and plate 36 on planar support element 28. Subassembly 20' also includes the plurality of spaced girder mounts 26', as well as elongated slide plate 22 supporting this Subassembly. Bending wing 30 is pivotally connected to the outer edge of planar support plate 28 by pivot axle 32'. Suspended between slide plate 22' is a plurality of guide elements 24' interfitted in the cooperatively and correspondingly shaped grooves of guideways 16. The upper surface of plate 28 is coplanar with that of plate 28. Also, when bending wings 30 and 30 are in their lower position, their upper surfaces are coplanar with the upper surfaces of element 28 and 28.

On opposite ends of the bending wings from those shown in FIG. 1, i.e. on those ends shown in FIG. 3, is a pair of rotary power actuators 40 and 40' forming a portion of subassemblies 20 and 20" respectively. Each rotary actuator, e.g. actuator 40' in FIG. 4, includes a main central cylindrical housing 42' and a pair of end plates 44" and 46. On the interior, the rotary actuator may be of the type of construction illustrated in FIG. 5, that is, including a pair of fixed, radially extending, opposite elongated vanes 50' and 52' cooperative with a pair of alternate arcuately shiftable vanes 54" and 56' having their inner radial ends connected to power output shaft 58. Shaft 58' can be power oscillated in alternate directions through an obtuse angle of approximately by introducing pressurized fluid such as air through one or the other of selective inlet and outlet ports 60' and 62' and thus through the fixed vanes and 52' into the opposite sides of the chambers containing shiftable vanes 54' and 56'. Actuator 40 has a like output shaft 58.

The output ends of the power shafts of the rotary actuators 40 and 40' are coaxial with and connected to pivot axles 32 and 32' of the bending wings. The bending wings are in turn secured to these pivot axles so that, with power rotation of the output shafts, the bending wings 30 and 30 can be rotated from their horizontal (coplanar position with elements 28 and 28) to a vertical position at an angle thereto as illustrated by wings 30 in FIG. 1.

The limit of rotation of the wings under the force of the rotatable fluid actuators is determined by the nature of the outer edge reference surfaces of plate clamp 70. This plate clamp is an elongated element having under surfaces along its outer edges shiftable with the head assembly 72 to a lowered position to clamp a sheet metal plate to the surfaces of elements 28 and 28'. The outer reference faces of this plate clamp are located to control the position and angle of the flange formed into the sheet by wings 30 and 30. The plate clamp itself is supported on a mount 74 attached to its upper side. The mount is in turn secured to an elongated cylindrical beam 76 extending over the length of the machine (FIG. 2).

At the free end of beam 76 is a latch plate 78 which depends downwardly in front of the machine for cooperation with a pivotal latch element 80. This latch element and the corresponding latch element 82 near the rear of the machine secure the clamping assembly in its lowered position (illustrated in the drawings). Latch is shiftable on its pivot axis 84 by a fluid cylinder actuator 86 having its piston rod 88 attached to a link 90 that is pivotally secured to the lower end of latch 80. Correspondingly, latch 82 is latchable to latch plate 92 depending from support 76. It is shifted about its pivot axis 94 with a latch actuator fluid cylinder 96 that has its extended piston rod 98 attached to a link 100, which is pivotally secured to the lower end of latch 82. Head subassembly 72, including beam 76, latch plates 78 and 92, and plate clamp 70, can be elevated and lowered by the vertically oriented fluid cylinders 104 and 106.

Cylinder 104 has its extending piston 108 secured through a mounting member 110 to the underside of cylindrical beam 76, and cylinder 106 has the extended end of its piston rod 112 attached to mounting member 114 of the head subassembly. Cylinder 106 is mounted on elevated base 106. The vertical movement is controlled by these cylinders, and guided by vertical guide pin which is positioned within bearing sleeve 122 and has its upper end connected to the head subassembly. A safety stop 126 is mounted above the bed 14 to limit the downward movement of the mechanism.

As stated previously, the two subassemblies 20 and 20 are mounted on transverse guideways 16, allowing controlled shifting along the length of the guideways, i.e. transversely of the machine, to enable specific location of pivot axles 32 and 32' with respect to the centerline of the machine and with respect to each other. The guides 24 and 24 and guideways 16 have a corresponding configuration, cylindrical to achieve these purposes. Guideways 16 having elongated upper slots therein. The cooperative fluid type rotary actuators 40 and 40' are mounted on spaced guideways 17 and 17 which are like guideways 16 except not extending clear across the assembly. Their end portions are spaced to enable mechanism 104108 to be inserted therebetween for operating the heads of assemblies 72.

Since the bending wings, support plates 28 and 28, and fluid actuators are integrally interconnected, and are all mounted to relatively common supports 22 and 22', these entire subassemblies 2t and 20' are shiftable as an assembly, with their rotary actuators being movable toward and away from each other along guideways 16, 17 and 17'. Hence, utilizing simple transversely actuating positioning means, such as the pair of fluid cylinders 130 and 132 (FIG. 4), having one end connected to plate 28 and the extended shaft end connected to plate 2-8, these elements can be conveniently shifted to vary the spacing of parallel pivot axles 32 and 32 with respect to each other and with respect to the centerline of the machine. This can be done manually or can be incorporated into an automation cycle if desired. Control of these pivot axles with respect to the centerline may be achieved in any simple way such as by anchoring cylinders 130 and 132 with suitable anchor plates 134 and 136 to the frame. Instead of these two cylinders, simple eccentric type rotary cams may be mounted on the centerline of the machine to engage both plates 28 and 28'.

OPERATION To form a flat sheet of [metal into a construction having a flat central portion, and a pair of upstanding side flanges as shown by F1 and F2 in FIG. 6 for example, the sheet of metal is laid across the support elements 28 and 28', and across the coplanar bending wings 30 and 30", with insertion into the machine being made while the head sub assembly 72 is in its elevated position. Then, with contraction of fluid cylinders 104 and 106 (FIG. 2), clamp 70 is lowered to press the sheet metal plate against coplanar elements 28 and 28'. Cylinders 86 and 96 are actuated to latch the clamp down. Actuation of fluid rotary actuators 40 and 40' then causes wings 30 and 30' to rotate to bend the outer edge portions into flanges F1 and F2. The latches are then released, and clamp 70- is raised to release the article.

After a certain number of parts are formed in this way, if it is desired to form a different spacing between the outer flange edges, fluid cylinders 132 and 132' are actuated to control the spacing of the pivot axles and thus to control the position of the bend lines in the sheet metal being formed.

Since the shifting of the forming mechanism on this apparatus is simple, rapid and accurate, compound flanges can be formed as shown in FIG. 7. That is, first the flanges shown as F1 and F2 can be formed, then by simply shifting the pivot axles of the bending wings and the width of the upper tooling closer together, flanges F3 and F4 can be formed through the successive stages shown in phantom lines in FIG. 7.

The examples and advantages noted herein are not intended to be an exhaustive listing, and it is entirely conceivable that those familiar with this art will envision additional examples, advantages, and even minor structural modifications to suit particular uses, types of materials, and so forth. Hence the inventive concept is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the reasonably equivalent structures to those defined therein.

I claim:

1. A wing bending machine comprising: support surface means for a sheet of metal, and clamping means mounted above said support surface means cooperable therewith to clamp a sheet of sheet metal on said support surafce means; a pair of planar bending wings astraddle said support surface means, pivotally mounted on pivot axles attached to said support surface means to enable said wings to pivot from a first position coplanar with said surface means to a second position at an angle thereto; and a pair of rotational fluid motor means on the ends of the respective shafts of said wings to pivot said wings between said positions; said pair of motor means having output torsional shafts secured to the respective wings on the pivot axles of the latter.

2. The wing bending machine in claim 1 wherein: said support surface means includes a pair of separate spaced members respectively pivotally connected to said wings by said axles; a plurality of guideways oriented transversely of said pivot shafts, beneath said spaced members and said wings; and guide means between said members, wings and motor means, and cooperable with said guideways to enable each set of said members, wings and motor means to be controllably spaced from the other set.

3. The wing bending machine in claim 2 including spacing control shifting means operably engaged with said members to regulate the spacing of the pivot axles.

4. A wing bending machine comprising: a supporting framework including a plurality of guideways extending in one direction; a pair of spaced elongated mounts on said guideways, extending normal to said guideways and including guide means cooperatively engaged with said guideways; a pair of spaced metal sheet support members secured to said mounts and having outer edges; clamping means supported on said framework and cooperable with said members to secure a sheet of metal; a pair of planar bending wings pivotally mounted to respective ones of said outer edges to be pivotally mounted to respective ones of said outer edges to be pivotally shiftable from a first position generally aligned with said members to a second position at an angle thereto; a pair of rotational fluid motors at the ends of the respective wings and having output torsional shafts positioned coaxially with and secured to the pivot axles of the respective wings to rotate said wings about said axles between said positions, said motors being mounted to respective ones of said mounts; and means between said mounts and said framework to enable controlled adjustment movement of said mounts on said guideways, and thus controlled spacing of bends to be formed in a sheet of metal, by enabling simultaneous regulatory movement of one member, wing and motor with respect to the second member, wing and motor.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,569,181 9/ 1951 Laxo 72305 X 2,765,020 10/ 1956 Scarlett 72-320 X 3,192,759 7/ 1965 Pelton 723 19 3,276,409 10/1966 Denis 1l354 3,301,034 1/1967 Boettcher 72-319 2,132,569 10/ 1938 Kelleher 72-3 19 2,963,066 12/ 1960 Nelson 72319 X CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner 20 M. J. KEENAN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 72-297, 319 

